Aston Villa anger after bid for star striker emerges hours before Champions League clash

The offer, reported to be around £60million, was knocked back with Villa angry at the timing of it being made public so close to a crucial match in their season.

Watkins has scored 69 Premier League goals since joining Villa from Brentford in 2020 for £33m, the most recent of which came against Arsenal in a 2-2 draw earlier this month.

The Gunners are in the market for a new forward after Gabriel Jesus suffered a season-ending injury and are prepared to try their luck for Watkins, who grew up supporting the north London club.

Their offer has arrived at the same time speculation surrounds Villa’s other striker, Jhon Duran, who has been targeted by Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

Duran is the club’s top scorer in all competitions this season with 12 goals and only signed a new contract until 2030 earlier this season.

But he has made the vast majority of his appearances off the bench and has previously made clear his frustration at a lack of starting opportunities.

West Ham saw an offer reported to be around £57m rejected earlier this month, the news of that offer also emerging on the eve of a Champions League match in Monaco.

Selling Duran would allow Villa to move for Chelsea playmaker Joao Felix, while they are also in talks with the London club over a loan move for defender Axel Disasi.

Emi Buendia has completed a loan move to Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the season, which includes an option to buy worth around £17m.